Miami Hurricanes coach Manny Diaz looks ahead to the UM football game against Florida on Friday.

Forget the fact that redshirt freshman quarterback Jarren Williams will be making his first college start against a vaunted Florida defense for a minute.

The Miami Hurricanes will be starting freshmen at each offensive tackle spot. Redshirt freshman John Campbell won a preseason competition to start at right tackle, and a true freshman in Zion Nelson will be protecting Williams’ blind side in Orlando on Saturday night after holding onto that spot throughout training camp.

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It could be a scary sight against a Gators defense that, although it lost last year’s sack leader, Jachai Polite, to the NFL and the New York Jets, still returns Jabari Zuniga and a host of other capable pass rushers.

Despite it, the Hurricanes are confident the two first-time starters won’t become a liability when the national spotlight is on.

“Those guys are going to play well this week, and they are going to continue to improve throughout the season,” said offensive coordinator Dan Enos on Monday. “They have to get their first start sometime, someplace, somewhere. So we're expecting those guys to battle Saturday night and play very well.”

Nelson had to transform his body to be a college lineman after playing his high school senior season at Sumter High in South Carolina at 235 pounds. UM now lists him at 6 foot 5, 285 pounds.

Off the recruiting radar for most, Miami flipped him from his commitment to Appalachian State in December. He then signed with the Hurricanes, enrolled early for the spring semester, and by the end of the spring, was the first-team left tackle.

“For anybody, it’d be nerve-racking, but this is what we prepare for,” said redshirt sophomore center Corey Gaynor, who will be making his first start at center after playing extensively at guard as a true freshman in 2017. “That’s why we’re on Greentree working out, working hard every day, practicing against the best. I have confidence in him.”

Lining up against him in practice, junior defensive end Jon Garvin has seen glimpses of the capabilities of the fleet-of-foot Nelson.

“At times, can show little flashes of dominance,” Garvin said last week. “The way he’s changed from the beginning — of course, it’s rough starting off, coming into college, dealing with the college guys — but then, he’s been able to up his game to a point where he’s been a challenge for everybody.”

Said Williams of Nelson: “He’s been practicing really well. Main thing we tell him is, ‘Do your assignment. Do what you’re supposed to do. No matter how many people are screaming, just focus on your assignment.’ And I feel like he’ll be fine.”

Campbell, who was a four-star recruit at Orlando Dr. Phillips, according to Rivals, played in four games last season but was able to redshirt.

John is a guy that has gotten better and better and it was probably maybe the second scrimmage where he just took a step up,” said Miami coach Manny Diaz of Campbell, who is 6 foot 5, 310 pounds and won the job over redshirt sophomore Kai-Leon Herbert, who is now behind Nelson at left tackle.

“John never looked out of place [working with the first team]. We always thought that John is very talented. We have a young offensive line. We have guys we know will be really, really good, and John has earned his spot.”

“I think [offensive line coach Butch] Barry has done a great job on all of them,” Mallory said. “I’ve seen all of them just transform into what they are now. They’re more confident. They know exactly what they’re doing. Being lined up with them, brings me confidence.”

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With the most experienced Miami offensive lineman being left guard Navaughn Donaldson, who has made double-digit starts in each of his first two seasons and was a Freshman All-America selection in 2017, Gaynor has also taken a leadership role. Williams last week called him “another commander on the offensive line, on the offense,” returning the favor of Gaynor calling Williams a commander since being named the starting quarterback.

At right guard, Miami has sophomore DJ Scaife, who as a freshman last season saw action in all 13 games and made seven starts.